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The Sun
6 days ago
- Climate
- The Sun
Travellers ride horses through river as hundreds descend on tiny village for Britain's biggest pony & trap drive
TRAVELLERS were spotted riding horses through a river as hundreds descended on a tiny village for Britain's biggest pony and trap drive. Groups were seen in Brockenhurst - one of the New Forest's top beauty spots - as they plunged their horses and carts into a river as families, who were soaking up sunshine on the bank, watched on. 6 6 6 Young guys riding bareback charged in formation up and down the river as part of a tradition to cool their horses after a pony and trap drive through the Forest. It was the dramatic finale of the Tracy Cooper New Forest Drive, the biggest of its kind in the UK, which has been going for over 20 years. Yesterday's cool down came after temperatures hit sizzling point, with some unhappy locals saying the ponies should not be out in such heat. Animal welfare officers were present on the riverbank at the Balmer Lawn in Brockenhurst where scenes resembled the world-famous Appleby Horse Fair. At one stage, one officer shouted at two young riders to 'stop with the whip', adding: 'Stop whipping the horse' when they tried to urge their horse on with one. Riders were also prevented from riding the animals up and down roads with police waving them down and telling them to go back to the river bank. The car park at the popular family bathing spot had been closed off from Saturday evening and all day Sunday with warnings that an event would be taking place there today. But the sudden appearance of hundreds of pony and traps – their numbers three times bigger than the previous day – at the site took some unsuspecting families by surprise. Some goggle-eyed guests from the nearby Balmer Lawn Hotel who had been enjoying a post-Sunday lunch stroll beat a hasty retreat as the horses descended. Despite this, there were excited shouts from children as the riders roared into the river with water being splashed everywhere. Travellers ride horses through river & speed along in carriages at Appleby fair Young girls joined in the ride, with some getting soaked to their skin and even babies were taken for a trot – sitting in front of a parent on the horse. Kids as young as five plummeted off the river bank on ponies into the water – laughing gleefully as they did. After the horses had had a swim, they were put into shade under trees and given food and water. The river cooldown is the finale of the event, which this year took place under the watchful eye of a temporary security tower bristling with CCTV and dozens of police officers. 6 6 6 Last year, the area was scattered with broken glass and metal screws by angry locals who have called for the drive to be banned. As The Sun revealed yesterday, this year the local council has joined forces with Hampshire Police and Forestry England to ensure the event was kept under control. Standing watching the cooldown was Inspector Darren Ord of Hampshire Police who said he was pleased with how the drive had gone, saying: 'We have engaged with the community to ensure that everything is done with safety and security. 'So far it has gone very successfully. It was important to allow the event to go ahead while also ensuring the safety of the local community.' He said it had also been important that the welfare of the horses involved in the drive was looked after, which appeared to be the case. As the horses dried off, the travellers tucked into burgers from a van operated by Tracy Cooper who said she was 'absolutely delighted' with how her event had gone this year. She said: 'Mine is the only traveller drive in England which has a permit, permission and public liability insurance. 'It is the only one in England that tries to do it the right way. This year has been fantastic, but I won't rest until the last traveller and pony has got home safely.'
The Irish Sun
08-08-2025
- The Irish Sun
Our tranquil village is being taken over by hordes of travellers with caravans & ponies for UK's BIGGEST horse drive
It has been running for more than 20 years FAIR NIGHTMARE Our tranquil village is being taken over by hordes of travellers with caravans & ponies for UK's BIGGEST horse drive RESIDENTS of a tranquil village are worried that their home will be overrun by travellers with caravans and ponies this weekend. The two-day event called Tracy Cooper's New Forest Drive is set to take place in several parts of the district, including Ashurst and Woodlands. Advertisement 2 Travellers descending on New Forest in previous years to take part in the biggest horse drive in England Credit: Solent 2 The eight-mile horse drive will end at the river Credit: Solent The traditional family event has been running for more than 20 years. It sees hundreds of riders make their way across Hampshire to the drive on an eight-mile ride. Travellers bring along their prized horses and two-wheeled carts. But locals are not happy with the planned event and shared their thoughts on social media. Advertisement One wrote: "Feel so sorry for the horses involved Please this needs to be stopped." Another said: "Should not be allowed to take place. And the Old Bill will be invisible as usual." A third commented: "Just NO! It was horrendous last year. I work in the community access was blocked to places I needed to be in, it was mayhem." "Thank you for the heads up, now we know to avoid the area this weekend," said a fourth. Advertisement Authorities say they are working together following the controversy caused by last year's pony and trap ride-out. Cops launched an investigation after a pony broke its leg at an Ashurst cattle grid. And sharp objects were scattered at a popular picnic area near Brockenhurst, possibly in an attempt to sabotage the event. We live in UK's 'worst' seaside town – tourists say it's rundown and crime is a problem but here's why locals love it Speaking at the time, Hampshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, vowed that concerns surrounding the get together would be fully investigated. Advertisement She said: "The ride-out caused a traffic backlog in an already busy seasonal area and it is so sad that a horse had to be put down." In a separate statement, Ms Cooper stressed that the Ashurst incident did not take place during the drive itself. Forestry England said it was working closely with other authorities to minimise the impact of the event. A Hampshire police spokesperson added: "We are aware of a planned pony and trap event taking place across the New Forest this weekend. Advertisement "We are working closely with our partners and have been engaging with the event organisers to ensure the safety of the people and animals involved as well as residents and visitors to the Forest." Ashurst and Colbury Parish Council has issued a similar statement. Every August, people travel from Totton, near Southampton through the national park. Their route from Totton traditionally ends at Balmer Lawn, where riders showed off their skills in the stream. Advertisement Visitors can buy and sell horses, harnesses and dogs at the event. It is named and organised by Tracey Cooper, 50, who owns a burger van which she takes to local events and horse shows. The travellers gather to raise money for charity - before riding back to Totton for an evening of fun.
Scottish Sun
08-08-2025
- Scottish Sun
Our tranquil village is being taken over by hordes of travellers with caravans & ponies for UK's BIGGEST horse drive
It has been running for more than 20 years FAIR NIGHTMARE Our tranquil village is being taken over by hordes of travellers with caravans & ponies for UK's BIGGEST horse drive Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RESIDENTS of a tranquil village are worried that their home will be overrun by travellers with caravans and ponies this weekend. The two-day event called Tracy Cooper's New Forest Drive is set to take place in several parts of the district, including Ashurst and Woodlands. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Travellers descending on New Forest in previous years to take part in the biggest horse drive in England Credit: Solent 2 The eight-mile horse drive will end at the river Credit: Solent The traditional family event has been running for more than 20 years. It sees hundreds of riders make their way across Hampshire to the drive on an eight-mile ride. Travellers bring along their prized horses and two-wheeled carts. But locals are not happy with the planned event and shared their thoughts on social media. One wrote: "Feel so sorry for the horses involved Please this needs to be stopped." Another said: "Should not be allowed to take place. And the Old Bill will be invisible as usual." A third commented: "Just NO! It was horrendous last year. I work in the community access was blocked to places I needed to be in, it was mayhem." "Thank you for the heads up, now we know to avoid the area this weekend," said a fourth. Authorities say they are working together following the controversy caused by last year's pony and trap ride-out. Cops launched an investigation after a pony broke its leg at an Ashurst cattle grid. And sharp objects were scattered at a popular picnic area near Brockenhurst, possibly in an attempt to sabotage the event. We live in UK's 'worst' seaside town – tourists say it's rundown and crime is a problem but here's why locals love it Speaking at the time, Hampshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, vowed that concerns surrounding the get together would be fully investigated. She said: "The ride-out caused a traffic backlog in an already busy seasonal area and it is so sad that a horse had to be put down." In a separate statement, Ms Cooper stressed that the Ashurst incident did not take place during the drive itself. Forestry England said it was working closely with other authorities to minimise the impact of the event. A Hampshire police spokesperson added: "We are aware of a planned pony and trap event taking place across the New Forest this weekend. "We are working closely with our partners and have been engaging with the event organisers to ensure the safety of the people and animals involved as well as residents and visitors to the Forest." Ashurst and Colbury Parish Council has issued a similar statement. Every August, people travel from Totton, near Southampton through the national park. Their route from Totton traditionally ends at Balmer Lawn, where riders showed off their skills in the stream. Visitors can buy and sell horses, harnesses and dogs at the event. It is named and organised by Tracey Cooper, 50, who owns a burger van which she takes to local events and horse shows. The travellers gather to raise money for charity - before riding back to Totton for an evening of fun.
The Sun
08-08-2025
- The Sun
Our tranquil village is being taken over by hordes of travellers with caravans & ponies for UK's BIGGEST horse drive
RESIDENTS of a tranquil village are worried that their home will be overrun by travellers with caravans and ponies this weekend. The two-day event called Tracy Cooper's New Forest Drive is set to take place in several parts of the district, including Ashurst and Woodlands. 2 2 The traditional family event has been running for more than 20 years. It sees hundreds of riders make their way across Hampshire to the drive on an eight-mile ride. Travellers bring along their prized horses and two-wheeled carts. But locals are not happy with the planned event and shared their thoughts on social media. One wrote: "Feel so sorry for the horses involved Please this needs to be stopped." Another said: "Should not be allowed to take place. And the Old Bill will be invisible as usual." A third commented: "Just NO! It was horrendous last year. I work in the community access was blocked to places I needed to be in, it was mayhem." "Thank you for the heads up, now we know to avoid the area this weekend," said a fourth. Authorities say they are working together following the controversy caused by last year's pony and trap ride-out. Cops launched an investigation after a pony broke its leg at an Ashurst cattle grid. And sharp objects were scattered at a popular picnic area near Brockenhurst, possibly in an attempt to sabotage the event. We live in UK's 'worst' seaside town – tourists say it's rundown and crime is a problem but here's why locals love it Speaking at the time, Hampshire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, vowed that concerns surrounding the get together would be fully investigated. She said: "The ride-out caused a traffic backlog in an already busy seasonal area and it is so sad that a horse had to be put down." In a separate statement, Ms Cooper stressed that the Ashurst incident did not take place during the drive itself. Forestry England said it was working closely with other authorities to minimise the impact of the event. A Hampshire police spokesperson added: "We are aware of a planned pony and trap event taking place across the New Forest this weekend. "We are working closely with our partners and have been engaging with the event organisers to ensure the safety of the people and animals involved as well as residents and visitors to the Forest." Ashurst and Colbury Parish Council has issued a similar statement. Every August, people travel from Totton, near Southampton through the national park. Their route from Totton traditionally ends at Balmer Lawn, where riders showed off their skills in the stream. Visitors can buy and sell horses, harnesses and dogs at the event. It is named and organised by Tracey Cooper, 50, who owns a burger van which she takes to local events and horse shows. The travellers gather to raise money for charity - before riding back to Totton for an evening of fun.
Tourism Breaking News
12-06-2025
- Business
- Tourism Breaking News
Emirates forges interline partnership with Bahamasair to facilitate connectivity to The Bahamas
Post Views: 46 Emirates and Bahamasair have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish an interline partnership benefitting customers travelling to The Bahamas. The partnership enables Emirates to expand its reach in the Caribbean, allowing customers to utilise the services of The Bahamas' national flag carrier from Florida to one of three destinations on the island country. Under the unilateral agreement, customers traveling on Emirates to Miami or Orlando will be able to connect to Bahamasair flights to Nassau, Freeport or San Salvador, with the added convenience of booking itineraries with both airlines on a single ticket. Additionally, Emirates' customers will enjoy generous baggage allowance when flying on Bahamasair to the three destinations. Commenting on the new interline partnership, Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer said: 'We are pleased to establish an interline partnership with Bahamasair to expand our reach to new and exciting destinations and offer travel options for our customers planning journeys to the Caribbean nation. The interline partnership offers customers the convenience of connecting in Florida for travel onwards to points across the islands of The Bahamas, while enjoying competitive fare pricing, the convenience of booking the entire journey on a single ticket and a generous baggage policy.' 'This partnership also supports our agreement with The Bahamas' Ministry of Foreign Affairs to promote the Caribbean destination across our network.' As part of the MoU, both carriers will also explore opportunities to enhance their cargo interline cooperation and potential partnerships under their frequent flyer programmes. Bahamasair Managing Director, Tracy Cooper said: 'This partnership significantly elevates Bahamasair's global profile and opens access to invaluable expertise and new markets. By aligning with one of the world's most respected airlines, we strengthen our capabilities and lay the groundwork for sustained international growth.' Florida gateways, Miami and Orlando, are amongst the 12 U.S. destinations that the world's largest international airline currently flies. Emirates serves Miami with daily flights with its Boeing 777, along with five-weekly services to Orlando, connecting travellers across its expansive network of over 140 destinations. On the sidelines of Arabian Travel Market, Emirates and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Bahamas signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly promote tourism to the Caribbean nation in a partnership aimed at further developing the country's tourism and trade industries.
